


Bridges We Crossed

by EtoilesJaunes



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien doesn't know how to Relationship, Cheating, F/M, Identity Reveal, Infidelity, Let's Play: guess what musical I was listening to while writing this lmao, Mari doesn't know how to Deal With That, There's some weird time skips just deal with it. I don't know how to smooth over those, aaaaand now with a part two!, also weird time skip/aged up thing? they're in University, oops this got angsty, update: rating bump, update: references to sexual content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 02:34:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16053629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EtoilesJaunes/pseuds/EtoilesJaunes
Summary: Finally, everything is coming together for Marinette: she's dating Adrien, studying to become a fashion designer, and has a wonderful group of friends... So why does it feel like something's missing? And who does she turn to to fill that slow-growing hole?Meanwhile, Adrien decides to give up on his feelings for Ladybug and starts dating in hopes of getting over her. Unfortunately, life has other plans for him...





	1. When All Your Dreams Come True

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lady_Bryght](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Bryght/gifts).



> "Just once I'd like to read some actual infidelity drama from the love square." -Lady_Bright on [It Was Only a Kiss](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14750906)
> 
> Me: Alright so like two shots of drama  
> Me: *pours half a bottle of drama in*

Being invited to a photoshoot led to Adrien telling Marinette that she was welcome to come to any of his. _After all,_ he’d said, _having a friend there makes it a lot more bearable._

She didn’t miss the change from ‘fan’ to ‘friend,’ either. Her overwhelming feelings for him cooled down considerably (not that they weren’t there — in fact, they were more present than ever) to the point where she was able to find out specific things she admired about him as opposed to general kindness and attractiveness and all those things _anyone_ in Mlle Bustier’s class could have told you about him.

So, after Alya and Nino finally — _finally!_ — got together, Adrien and Marinette found themselves in plenty of double-date-like situations. Over the course of several months, they started letting the couple do their own thing and they would hang out, just the two of them.

Adrien knew that, as Chat, Ladybug wouldn’t be returning his feelings anytime soon (it had been _how_ many years already?) and was able to put them off to the side. He knew that some part of her would always love her, but he hoped if he was able to move on, he wouldn’t feel the echo of that heartache whenever he looked at her.

Marinette was certainly very pretty, and from what he’d seen of her at school and their time together, she was brave, loyal to her friends, and not afraid to stand up for what she believed in. As an aspiring designer, she’d be able to hold her own in any conversations with his colleagues. Plus, she seemed to have a soft spot for Chat Noir.

For Marinette, the day she could have sworn she’d died and gone to Heaven was a month into starting University. AKA, the day that Adrien took her to the Eiffel Tower and asked her to be his girlfriend. She said yes, of course, and then had to cling to his arm to stop herself from falling in her clumsiness-increasing happiness.

It was perfect, really. She was studying to be a fashion designer, she was defending Paris with one of her best friends by her side, and she was dating Adrien Agreste. She couldn’t be happier…

...Right?

She had everything she wanted that was appropriate for this stage in her life: education, friends, her family, and a loving boyfriend.

Who wouldn’t be happy?

Well, her, for one, but she couldn’t quite say why.

* * *

“Adrien?”

“Yes, Mari?”

“So, I’ve been thinking… We’ve been dating for two months already. Shouldn’t we, you know, attend a party together? Like, as a couple? Officially.”

Adrien raised an eyebrow. “Like a debut?”

“Yeah, sort of,” Marinette said, scrambling to find the right words. He didn’t seem _particularly_ enthusiastic, but she knew she just wasn’t getting it across right. That was why. “I mean, what we’re doing now… _We_ know we’re dating, but to the rest of the world, we’re still just doing what we’ve been doing, right? So if we go to a party _together,_ then everyone will know…”

“Mari, the press are like sharks. Are you ready for that?”

“I… I’m pretty sure, yeah. Why does it sound like this is something you don’t want to do?”

Adrien put on his most charming smile. “Marinette. If making a debut at a party will make you happy, of _course_ I’ll find the perfect one for us. I just want to make sure you know that there will be consequences that affect you, too. I want what’s best for you.”

“I want what’s best for _us,”_ she emphasized, taking his hand. “It would make you happy, too, right?”

“You know me,” he replied, squeezing her hand. “I’m always happy.”

* * *

It was another month before the party they decided upon. Marinette wore a pink off-the-shoulder dress she’d designed months ago, not for this occasion, but in the hopes she’d attend an event that would give her cause to wear it.

Alya had helped with her makeup, and in the light of the venue, she was practically glowing with youthful innocence. As they stepped out of Adrien’s car together, hands joined, the cameras near the entrance started flashing. She heard his name being called out several times, asking who she was.

Marinette looked up as Adrien as he let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist instead.

“This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. We’ve been dating for about three months, now.”

With that, he led her inside and ignored the rest of the paparazzi.

The party was beautiful, of course, and Marinette soon found herself drowning in names and faces. She had a glass of champagne that she nursed throughout the night, wanting to be coherent enough to remember everything.

About halfway through, one of the reporters that was allowed in approached the couple. She asked some basic questions about Marinette and their relationship, nothing too intrusive. After the round of questioning, Marinette was still feeling good, so the last question took her by surprise.

“I’m sure your fans — and the fans of your relationship, after tonight — would love to see a kiss. Would you mind?”

Now, Marinette was more than happy to let Adrien take the lead. She was a romantic like that. But, well, he _hadn’t_ yet, and while she told herself she was fine because it’s not like she’d done anything of the kind before…

Well, it would be _nice._

So when Adrien turned to her, she tilted her face up with a smile. He grabbed her waist, leaned forward in a pose he had _definitely_ modelled before, and pressed their lips together.

Marinette raised her hand to his face half a second before the camera went off and he pulled back.

That was it.

The reporter thanked them for their time and moved on.

Was that really what she had been dreaming about for years?

She noticed Adrien watching her and relaxed her features. _This is what he does all the time. Pull yourself together. You’re lucky to be here with him._

His parting words swam around in her head long after he left. “You did well tonight, Marinette.”

_Isn’t this what you wanted?_

* * *

After that, they attended a lot more events as a couple. She would come to his fashion shows and the after-parties, or someone’s birthday party, or even, on occasion, a charity gala.

They were mostly the same. Marinette had a growing collection of business cards from different people. She could handle herself if he left for a drink or anything else. From the first kiss on, he started being more affectionate with her, touching her waist, kissing her cheek, kissing her on the lips…

But nothing was really like what she’d thought it would be.

Alya and Nino knew that they were ‘taking it slow,’ so there wasn’t as much pressure to look like such a physical couple in front of them.

When they were alone together, he would put his arm around her if they were watching a movie or something, but that was the extent of physical contact.

If she was being honest, she missed the contact they’d had while friends. At least, then, she didn’t feel weird hugging him whenever one of them left.

He didn’t talk about it, though, and _she_ certainly wasn’t going to be the one to bring it up and ruin what they had — _if we have anything at all,_ the voice inside her head reminded her.

But Marinette made the most of it. He seemed happy enough, so she would smile and laugh and bake his favorite pastries for him. Romance movies and books had obviously lied to her, and this is what relationships were like in the real world.

Chat, meanwhile, was being his usual self. In fact, when she was with him, it felt like nothing had changed at all. Funny, she never would have thought that yo-yo-ing around Paris in a red spandex-like suit would be the most normal part of her day.

She didn’t really notice how she started laughing at some of his jokes, or how she now opted to tease him rather than brush him off.

One night on patrol, though, she was quiet. She didn’t respond playfully to Chat’s teasing, didn’t even bother to roll her eyes at his puns, really. But when they arrived back at the Notre-Dame, she wasn’t all that eager to say goodbye. Instead, there was hesitation in her eyes. Enough for Chat to notice. He held back, too.

Eventually, she spoke.

“Chat?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you something? Even if it’s a little… Well, weird?”

“You can ask me anything, Ladybug.”

She was only silent for a few more seconds.

“How would you kiss me?”

Now, it was Chat’s turn to be speechless. “I… I…”

Ladybug turned away, face reddening quickly. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. I’ll just—”

“I would worship you, my Lady.”

She slowly turned back, eyes wide.

He took a step closer to her. “I’d look you in the eyes, first, so you could see how much I want you.” There was a kind of fire flashing in his eyes as he took another step towards her. “I’d kiss you slowly, reverently, taking my time and making sure it’s nothing less than perfect for you.” He was four feet away, now, and Ladybug had to bend her neck to keep eye contact. Because, of course, there was no way she would be the one breaking that.

“And… And then?”

The corner of Chat’s mouth lifted in a smirk. He tilted his head as he continued advancing. “Before you knew it, I’d have you breathless. You’d pull away for air, but I’d just continue kissing your jaw, your neck, showing you _just how much_ I want you.” She felt something ghost over her neck and realized he was _inches_ away from her, tracing her skin with the barest tips of his claws.

Before she knew it, she had spoken.

“Kiss me.”

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she would have said the same thing even if she’d been given time to think about it.

“What was that, my Lady?”

Was he giving her a chance to back out before they’d even started?

“I said, ‘Kiss me,’ Chat Noir.”

She jutted out her chin a bit, displaying confidence despite the turmoil inside of her. It didn’t matter, though, as a second later, his lips were on hers. They moved slowly, as he’d promised, but his hands were restless, going from her waist to her hips to her neck to—

“Oh, _Chat,”_ she sighed as he tugged on one of her pigtails.

“You like that?”

“I… I didn’t know I did, but I do.”

Chat took the opportunity to kiss along her jaw until he reached her ear.

“I’ll do it again if you promise to keep making those pretty sounds.”

That alone was enough to make her whine, and Chat took that as permission to hook his hands behind her thighs and pick her up. She stilled in surprise for a moment before she locked her hands behind his neck and captured his lips again.

They didn’t stop when her back hit one of the clock tower walls, or when he dropped her, or when he used one of his hands to pin her wrists above her head and the other to grab her pigtails. It was only when he gave them a pull to turn her head to the side that he broke away.

“Your neck is _gorgeous,_ Ladybug.”

She started at that. “Wait, wait, wait. No marks, please. No marks.”

Chat withdrew a couple of inches. “What’s wrong? You got a boyfriend or something?”

The way she froze was answer enough.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked gently, but didn’t loosen either of his grips.

“...No.” She looked down as much as she could. “Is that wrong?”

He let go of her hair to grab her chin and look into her eyes. “I have a girlfriend. We’re both here. I want you.”

“I want you, too.”

He pulled her in for another kiss, more heated than the first one. They both knew they were entering dangerous territory, but there was something exciting about it.

* * *

“Does your girlfriend know you’re Chat Noir?”

“Nope.” He flashed a grin at her.

“My boyfriend doesn’t know I’m Ladybug. I’m not planning on telling him until we defeat Hawk Moth. After you, of course… If we’re still together at that time.”

“If you’re still together?”

“That’s what I said, yeah.”

“Does he… Does he not like you or something?”

Ladybug breathily laughed and ran a hand through the end of her hair. “Honestly? I’m not even sure. I thought he did, at first, but now… He’s just really distant.”

“Why don’t you break up with him?”

“I can’t. I can’t leave him now, not without making it make me look bad. Besides… It’s not all bad. I’m meeting lots of new people that will be… Well, helpful. Later on, you know, after I’ve graduated. Besides, I’ve been crushing on him since _forever._ I can’t just give up on that, you know?”

“So _you_ don’t like _him_ either?”

“No, I _do,_ it’s just… Well, it would be nice to feel _wanted_ every once in a while. It’s always just polite kisses when we’re around other people. I don’t even know why he’s with me, if I’m being honest. It’s not like he purposely goes around, showing everyone how in love we’re supposed to be.”

“He’s safe, you mean. You can’t leave him because you’d rather know what to expect from him.”

Ladybug was silent for a moment. “Well, maybe I can’t. Is that so wrong? I’m living my dream. Who could leave that?”

He fixed her with a strange look. “I think you know who, my Lady.”

* * *

After the next akuma battle, Chat didn’t hold up his fist for their traditional fist bump. Instead, he grabbed the hand that was already extended to him and pulled her closer.

“If neither of our partners knows who we are, would you indulge me in making Paris a happier place?”

She didn’t have to think twice about raising her free hand to pull him down for a kiss.

As the weeks passed, Marinette found herself caring less and less about Adrien’s apparent indifference to her. She made the most out of it, showing off her designs at parties and networking to the best of her abilities. After all, once she graduated, she’d need a job, and she’d be damned if she didn’t get _something_ out of the relationship.

_Maybe all those stories about unhappy people at the top are true. I’ll be okay, though. I’m working towards my dream job… This really isn’t too big of a cost, all things considered._

Anyway, she had Chat… For a time. They’d decided to let themselves be photographed kissing, but avoided any questions about their relationship. From her recent encounters with the press as Marinette, she was getting pretty skilled at that. She wasn’t sure yet whether Chat had experience, too, or if he was just a natural.

Alya, of course, was thrilled, meaning any and all double dates for several weeks were consumed with her latest theories on Paris’ new favorite couple. It was uncomfortable for Marinette, to say the least. Sitting next to her boyfriend while her best friend was showing her pictures of her _cheating_ on said boyfriend…

She was getting a lot of practice at developing her happy face and keeping it on.

* * *

Another akuma down, another kiss for the cameras, and the superheros were on their way back to their respective homes.

Chat Noir did a quick sweep of the lawn before vaulting in through his open window. He’d gotten the timing down perfectly enough to call his detransformation just in time to land in a somersault.

It didn’t matter that it was ‘extra,’ it’s not like anyone was watching.

“Well, that explains a lot.”

Okay. _One_ person was watching.

Adrien slowly turned towards the voice he’d recognize anywhere.

“Oh, Chloé, hey!” He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. “I, uh… I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Yeah, well, something tells me you would have used a more conventional method of entry if you had.” Chloé inspected her nails, looking more like the self she presented in public than the one she let Adrien see. “You’re lucky you’re my best friend. I’ve had to sit for half an hour up here, waiting for you, so Nathalie wouldn’t find out you’re sneaking off to God-knows-where… Well, I know where _now,_ but the point still stands.”

“Thanks, Chloé,” Adrien sighed in relief. “I hope I don’t have to remind you not to tell anyone I’m Chat Noir?”

“Oh, come on, Adrikins,” she smiled sweetly. “What are best friends for?”

* * *

“Good morning, what can I — oh, uh… Hi, Chloé, what can I do for you?”

Definitely not who Marinette was expecting at eight in the morning at the bakery, but she’d roll with it. The blonde hadn’t started handing out insults yet, so she was counting that as a victory.

“I need to talk to you.”

“Now?”

Chloé raised an eyebrow. “Preferably.”

Marinette blinked. “All right, just a second. I’ll grab my mother to watch the register for me.”

Two minutes later found them in the apartment’s kitchen, leaning against opposite counters.

“Okay, so look. I have something to tell you, but you can’t ask me how I know. Trust me when I say it’s not my secret to tell.”

“Why should I trust anything you have to tell me?”

“Because you know I’d love nothing more than to see you humiliated, so giving you a heads-up kind of goes against everything I’ve said in the past.”

Marinette shrugged. “Fair point. What is it?”

Chloé took a deep breath. “Adrien’s cheating on you.”

Marinette’s stunned silence must have been a prompt for Chloé to continue talking.

“It’s not with me, I swear on my life, and like I said, I can’t tell you _how_ I know this, but… I don’t want you to have to go through what I did.”

That grounded Marinette a bit. “You were cheated on?”

“Remember back in school, when I was dating Nathanael?” Marinette nodded. “We told everyone the reason was that since we were going to different Universities, and it would just be too different, but the truth is… I went over to his house to surprise him and instead, I found him all tangled up with some other guy. The lie… Well, it helped us both save face.”

Marinette took a deep breath. “Thank you for telling me, Chloé. I assume you don’t want to stay here longer than you have to?”

The blonde pushed herself off the counter and started heading towards the door. “You know me; I can practically _feel_ myself gaining weight just inhaling this air.”

Marinette knew that she couldn’t stay up in the kitchen forever. She shoved it all to the back of her mind as she headed back downstairs and took her place behind the register again.

* * *

As much as she would like to say it didn’t bother her…

Well, it did.

It wasn’t so much the fact that he was cheating on her — she wasn’t _that_ much of a hypocrite — but, well, the _reasons_ were so much different.

She’d gone to Chat because Adrien hadn’t been showing her the affection she’d craved. But she’d been nothing but the perfect girlfriend to him. If he wanted someone else, he could _easily_ just have dropped her and gone after the other girl.

So was he just using her as a cover-up for something, like Nathanael had for Chloé?

...Had he ever even liked her at all? Or did he just see her as another girl who was so devoted to him that he could do whatever he wanted and get away with it?

Was he dating this other girl when he’d asked her out?

What did the other girl have that Marinette didn’t?

She started avoiding Adrien. She couldn’t say for sure whether it was intentional or not, but she started finding other things to do than hang out with him. She would still attend the parties, of course, and play her part, but it slowly turned into her only going out with him on double dates with Alya and Nino.

Even then, she monopolized Alya’s attention the entire time.

_It’s not like he pays that much attention, anyway. He’ll never notice something’s different._

* * *

“Something’s different with Marinette.”

“Finally noticed how odd she is, Adrikins? I knew the day would come.” Chloé took a dainty sip of her coffee.

“Don’t act like that, Chloé. This didn’t happen until you saw me transform. I thought I told you not to say anything!”

“Honestly, Adrien! Don’t you trust me at all? Of course I didn’t tell her you’re Chat Noir.”

Adrien narrowed his eyes. “Did you tell her something _else,_ then?”

Chloé lifted her chin defiantly. She and Adrien had argued before, but this was one of the first times that it wasn’t _her_ behavior in the wrong. “Only that you’re cheating on her.”

Adrien took a deep breath. “Why would you tell her that?”

“She deserves to know!” Chloé snapped back. “And you know it’s true, if that’s coming from me. Even if she doesn’t know that you’re gallivanting around the city with _Ladybug,_ she deserves to know that someone else is in the picture.”

“Chloé—”

“Oh, my _God!_ Does _Ladybug_ know what you’re doing?”

“...Ladybug has a boyfriend, too. She’s the one that initiated it.”

Chloé looked taken aback. “And to think I looked up to the both of you. I was _so_ happy when Ladybug and Chat Noir finally got together. You’re lucky I’ve got my reputation to think about, otherwise I’d expose both of your asses.”

She stood up from the table and stormed out.

Adrien stood up, too, making to follow her before thinking better of it. There was a myriad of emotions swirling in him, most of them negative. There was still a chance that she would forgive him if he made things right, but she wouldn’t even give him the chance if he took out his frustrations on her now.

He walked out of the cafe and found an empty alleyway to transform in. Running was always a great stress reliever.

After half an hour, he was feeling slightly better and circling back towards familiar territory when he spotted a familiar figure leaning on the railing of her balcony. He felt his turmoil spark in him again, but followed the rooftops until he was on the roof behind her.

“That kind of troubled expression doesn’t belong on such a beautiful face, princess,” he called softly.

Marinette startled slightly, then turned around. “Chat Noir! What are you doing here?”

He noticed a strange expression on her face. He couldn’t quite place it: wide eyed, lips slightly parted, eyebrows furrowed. It was a pretty expression, but he didn’t know what it meant. He shrugged at her question. “Just going for a run when I noticed that a certain damsel looked quite distressed. Is there anything you want to talk about?”

“Oh, no, not really,” she replied, glancing at the floor briefly.

“Marinette,” he said, jumping down so he was on the same level as her. “My job is to help people, and that includes you. Complete confidentiality, I promise.”

“Well… It’s just something about Adrien. I’m sure it would just bore you.”

“Ah, boy troubles,” Chat sighed.

Marinette scoffed. “To say the least. It’s… Complicated.”

“Well, you’re in luck, Marinette.”

“What do you mean?” She raised an eyebrow as he stepped closer and leaned in. She didn’t give an inch to him, holding her ground even as he completely disregarded her personal space.

“I’ve heard revenge kissing is _incredibly_ therapeutic, princess.”

“Who said anything about revenge?”

“You’re not denying it.”

“So you’re offering?”

Was she serious? Chat blinked, unsure of how to proceed. He kept his bravado up, though. “Only if you’re receiving.”

He barely registered Marinette taking a step forward before she had a hand on the back of his neck, pulling him down to meet her lips.

And _she_ was mad at _him_ for cheating? He’d barely been here two seconds and she was licking at his lips, trying to get him to open his mouth.

He grabbed her hips and pushed her backwards, until her back hit the wall. He flexed his claws as he moved his hands to her waist, and judging by the sounds she was making, she was surprisingly into how rough he was being with her.

He took control of the kiss, biting and sucking her lips and tongue, keeping her pinned against the wall. She had her hands in his hair, making encouraging noises as she alternated between scratching his scalp and tugging on the strands of his hair.

After several long minutes, he moved down to her neck, kissing down to her collarbone and licking a stripe back up to her ear.

“So, darling, care to tell me why you’ve been ignoring me for weeks when you’re clearly just as bad as I am?”

Marinette blinked, looking like she was trying to come out of a daze. It would be adorable, really, had it been for any other circumstance. “What?”

Chat clenched his jaw. “Claws in.”

She had to close her eyes against the light of the transformation. By the time she opened them again, Plagg had already taken a look at their situation and decided literally anywhere else was better than the scene that he could tell was about to unfold. He’d flown into Marinette’s room.

“...Adrien?”

The smirk he gave her didn’t belong on his face. “At your service, princess.”

“Oh, my… Oh, my God,” she said, blinking as she quickly sobered up. “Was this some kind of test?”

“Eh, not intentionally,” he replied, stepping back and giving her some space. “I mean, _I_ was completely joking, but that doesn’t really excuse the fact that you were _so_ willing to kiss someone who wasn’t me.”

“Someone who wasn’t— Can you even _hear_ yourself speaking? I wanted _no one_ more than I wanted you. I waited for months! _Months!_ You barely even looked at me, and now I know why. You were too hung up on _Ladybug_ to be in a relationship with anyone but her.”

“Waited? For months? As in — your waiting was already over?”

“Yes, Adrien, you weren’t the only one to stray in our ‘relationship,’ if you can even call it that anymore.”

“Wait, what? Who was _your_ dirty little secret?”

“You wanna know the sad part?” Marinette threw her arms in the air as she took a step forward, then forcefully poked him in the chest. _“You_ were, Chat. I came to _you_ because I wasn’t feeling loved enough by my boyfriend, who I wanted more than anyone else. He wouldn’t look _twice_ at me, but you made me feel _wanted.”_

Adrien gaped for a few seconds, confusion marring his features. “...Ladybug?”

Her face twisted into a sneer. “At your service, _hot stuff.”_

“So… We’re both idiots, then?”

She scoffed. “That’s an understatement.”

They were silent for a few moments.

“What does this mean for us, then?”

The charge in the air dropped from incredibly tense to incredibly heavy.

“...I don’t know, Adrien. We… I guess we deserve each other, really. But that’s not any kind of foundation for a relationship.”

“Or a partnership,” he added.

“That, too.”

“My dad likes you. A lot.”

Marinette sighed. “It would be such a huge scandal if we called things off after this long.”

“Do you think we could just… Start over? Keep things the way they are, publically, but… Well, I mean, it’s not like there’s actually ‘anyone else’ in the picture, after all.”

“It could take a while. For both of us.”

“I’m willing to wait if you are. It’s better than keeping… This.”

“...Alright. We can try."


	2. A New Normal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends it is i, back after four months, but just like i said i was going to :D brace yourselves, kiddos, because this is a chapter about talking and feelings and *rainbow hands* communication! please note the rating bump. it's not anything *too* bad but still, the childrens must be protected! also, if i told you anything about motivations in the comments of the last chapter.... please forget all of that. i've had a while to think and help my characterizations grow, and i feel like this chapter expresses all of that in a much better way than a 100 word comment could. thanks for understanding <333 love y'all

Starting over… Well…

It  _ sucked. _

Sure, he’d long since perfected the art of performing in public, going about living as if everything was alright. Now, though, he could sense the tension in Marinette’s grip on his arm, hear the unnatural pitch of her laughter, see the insecurity in her eyes when they glanced at each other and she looked away too soon. 

It had been a week since he’d left her on the balcony with the promise of ‘starting over,’ and with not one but two public relationships to maintain, they were finding out it wasn’t as simple as it sounded. Every second they were forced to be together was another reminder of the relationship they hardly had anymore — if it was ever there to begin with at all. 

As Ladybug and Chat Noir, well… Their ‘relationship’ wasn’t exactly built on any sort of solid moral ground. 

As Adrien and Marinette, it was a different story. He’d heard the stories, of course — the up-and-coming designers in the industry, jumping from one person to the next, treating dates like rungs on the social ladder they were dragging themselves up. And… It wasn’t that he disliked Marinette — he liked her quite a bit — but seeing her confidently talking with industry professionals, he couldn’t help but wonder (in the part of his mind he didn’t enjoy spending too much time in) if he was just one of those poor suckers who was being taken advantage of. 

Once that particular seed had been planted, it grew and grew until the roots took hold of his limbs and prevented him from reaching out as she slipped away again and again to talk to someone of greater importance. 

He had distanced himself, he knew that, but he  _ refused  _ to open himself up to that kind of hurt again. Part of him started wondering if he attracted these kinds of people by almost expecting them. 

But then, Ladybug —  _ Ladybug! _ — had approached him, had asked him to kiss her. He did as she asked, and he didn’t try and lie to himself by saying it was for her sake. He wanted her, too — wanted to worship her, wanted to explore her and find out what made her  _ happy, _ wanted to love her and to be loved in return. 

He wanted something  _ real. _ Yet, he took the illusion of that which she offered to him, and he found it to be increasingly easier to suspend his own disbelief and pretend it was genuine. Now, though… Now, he had his Lady as well as Marinette, wrapped in one petite package: one that held the promise of something great inside, but could also be taken from him with one wrong move. The past week had been a dance between them, one more complicated than the waltz he was leading her out onto the floor for. 

When had they gotten to that point in the night? It usually followed a tedious amount of time spent walking around and mingling, but he barely remembered making it through the door. 

Physical dancing was more automatic now, and Marinette was getting better with every passing party — she trusted him to lead and picked up on his cues as he guided her from one motion to the next. He couldn’t say for sure if there was anything that could be done about this other situation, though. He didn’t know what to do, which steps to take. 

He had even taken to looking up articles to try and understand how to go about fixing this, but the number of advice columns dealing with “We cheated on each other with each other” was surprisingly limited. He’d quickly given up on those. 

All the while, he’d had her voice echoing in his head, repeating what she’d said to him, about him, without  _ knowing  _ it was him. 

_ “It would be nice to feel wanted every once in a while.” _

But he  _ had _ wanted her, and still did — in some capacity, he’d wanted her the whole time, and now that he knew it was all one wonderful girl, he desired her all the more.

Adrien distantly recognized that the song had finished, that he answered some questions (but Marinette did more of the talking — she was so good at that now), that he was getting behind the wheel of his car and driving with Marinette sitting silently in the passenger seat and maybe he should come back to himself so he could at least pay attention to the road but this was muscle memory, too, so did he really have to? He couldn’t do it intentionally, anyway. 

It wasn’t until they pulled up in front of the bakery, until Marinette was reaching for the handle that he was able to shock himself into conscious movement. He reached across the short distance, letting a hand curl around her bicep. 

“Wait,” he pleaded, eyes shining with sincerity, and this —  _ this _ was unnerving; he didn’t even have anything planned to say to her, so why had he stopped her from leaving? Well, this wasn’t a situation that would be progressed by thinking too much, anyway. There were too many things that  _ needed _ to be said, and if he considered the outcome of revealing his feelings to her, remnants of his childhood would come crawling back: memories of a gentle hand stroking his hair, his tears staining a soft blue material, a soothing voice reminding him that boys don’t get to show the same weaknesses that girls do, and did he understand that?

Yes, he did, and now he would clam up and say nothing at all if he gave himself a choice. But as Marinette turned back to him, he found clarity in her eyes — he found his voice. 

“Listen, I — I’m sorry, okay? I know that one apology will never be enough to fix what we have right now, but you have to know that I’m serious about wanting to make us right again. I - I have - I know I have a lot to apologize for, and a lot to try and make up for, and I promise that I intend to. Please, Marinette. We can’t just go on like this and expect that things will work out by themselves.”

The only sound between them was their quiet breaths and, even more subtly, their heartbeats. Maybe that second part was just his imagination. Maybe it was him thinking the blood sounding in his ear was too fast too loud too  _ much _ to belong only to one person.

She broke eye contact to look down where her other hand was clutching her purse in her lap. She swallowed, wet her lips with her tongue, and glanced back up at him. 

“There’s a lot I’m sorry for, too,” she said, and her eyes wavered for a moment, but she must have found some kind of courage because she took a breath and continued, “and I’d also like to fix this. Properly. I — I can’t imagine losing you. But now isn’t the best time or place. Can we meet tomorrow in the park?”

“Of course,” Adrien breathed in reply. “What time?”

Marinette glanced away from him, towards the darkened interior of the bakery behind the windows. “I’ll check and let you know.” When she turned towards him again, she was wearing a soft smile. Hope fluttered in his chest as he returned it.

That night, after he’d returned to his apartment, he had a hard time falling asleep. More often than not, he had to remind himself that Ladybug had already seen a more emotional side, a more sensitive side than he’d shown to the rest of the world. He had to remind himself that Marinette was one of the least judgemental people he knew, and would understand if he let some emotions leak through. He had to remind himself that she wanted this, too.

One such reminder came in the form of a text tone he didn’t hear as often as he would have liked. 

Marinette: 2:30 works for me, or any time afterwards if you can’t make it then.

The screen was the only light in his room as he looked at it with a smile.

Adrien: 2:30 is perfect.

 

The next afternoon found him sitting on a park bench fifteen minutes early with his hands clasped between his knees. He was staring off into space somewhere behind the merry-go-round. The moving colors made it easy to get lost in thought, and he watched with a smile as children ran into their parents’ arms when they had finished. 

Someone sitting next to him drew his mind back to reality, looked over to find Marinette already meeting his gaze. “Hey,” she started, giving him a half-wave.

“Hey, yourself,” he replied, leaning back. “Thanks again for… Well… Wanting to try and fix this, too.” Half of Marinette’s mouth turned up into a smile, but her eyes were guarded. Just like they had been all week. In his heart, Adrien knew that she had every right to keep to herself, but another part of him wanted to see her as she was. 

_ Anyway, it’s not like I’m the only one at fault, here. _

But he had made the first mistake, so naturally, he had to be the first to say something. “Listen… I don’t know how these things are usually supposed to go, but can we please skip any kind of small talk? We both know what we’re here to do.” She blinked and nodded. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he directed his gaze back towards the merry-go-round. It was easier to talk when he didn’t have to watch her reactions as he spoke. That way, he wouldn’t try and change or downplay what he wanted to say based on the judgement he might see on her face. “Look, I… I don’t know how to do this. I don’t — I don’t mean this, like fixing us, I mean… 

“I guess I’ve never really had a good example of what a relationship is supposed to be like. I haven’t been able to pinpoint everything that was wrong in my parents’ relationship. Maybe if I could, I would know which learned behaviors I should avoid. Both of my parents were incredibly manipulative — both towards each other and towards me — but some of it was very subtle. There are some things that I still don’t know whether they were genuine or not. 

“But that’s just an explanation. It doesn’t excuse the way I treated you.” At this, he turned back to her. She was watching him intently, a small wrinkle between her eyebrows. “I should have paid more attention to you — Marinette you. I should have seen that my distance was hurting you. I told myself I was trying to move on from Ladybug, but I did nothing to actually try and do that. 

“And… I didn’t treat you the way you deserved to be treated. At all.” The sound of children’s laughter filled the air as the merry-go-round started up again. “I want… I want to let myself be closer to you, Marinette, but I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.” 

Marinette was the one to look away first. She glanced towards the sky, then at a few trees before her gaze came to rest on her lap where her hands were busy smoothing down her skirt. “That’s… Yeah, I didn’t — I didn’t tell you anything was wrong,” she said. “When things didn’t go the way I expected, I just… Assumed that’s how it was. I didn’t want to risk losing you, so I tried to adapt to the situation. So… I’m sorry for my lack of communication. 

“And… I — I’m sorry that — not knowing at the time what I know now —” and here, she became more animated, moving her hands as she talked, glancing up at him every few seconds, “I’m sorry for being completely selfish and turning to someone else to fill that gap. Especially without breaking things off between us first. That was… I feel like ‘wrong’ is an understatement here. It was a horrible thing for me to do, and…” She trailed off with a sigh, looking down again with slumped shoulders, seeming to retreat into herself. “I betrayed your trust by doing that. I don’t expect that I’ll get it back anytime soon, but… I know it’s something to work on.” 

Adrien looked away from her, scanning the park. The fountain bubbled away, the leaves on the trees fluttered with the light wind, and some birds took flight on the other side of the square. Adrien cleared his throat. “Marinette, we’re… We’re going to be okay, right?” 

Movement in his peripheral vision caught his eye, and he looked up to see her nodding. “We have a lot to work on, sure, but… Well, we’re a team, aren’t we?” 

 

The next day, Adrien had a photoshoot, and the day after that, Marinette had a full load of classes as well as a test she had to study for. They weren’t able to see each other again until the following day, when an akuma interrupted the aforementioned test. 

It wasn’t the same as it was before, but… It was a nice feeling, not having to carry the guilt of infidelity with him, not having to hide it behind the uncaring mask Ladybug seemed to want from him. 

It was the first attack since the reveal, and though Chat was unsure how their dynamic would be affected, his fears were for naught; he and Ladybug worked together better than ever, and it seemed like no time at all had passed before they were watching a white butterfly flutter off into the Parisian skyline. Maybe they would be alright, after all… 

Provided, of course, they survived the crowd of news reporters and civilians alike that was gathering below them. 

Chat turned to Ladybug and said under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear, “If you don’t want to do this, we don’t have to.” 

“I still want to,” she replied, “and not just… Not just for them. That is — if you want to, too…”

They met halfway, her soft lips giving way beneath his, and he couldn’t help but remember the last time they had — 

Ladybug broke away first. “Come with me?” she asked, her eyes holding something strange. Chat nodded. With a zip of her yo-yo string, she was off. He followed close behind her, transitioning easily to the rooftops when she did. 

She came to rest in a small space between two chimneys, hidden from the street below. She didn’t turn to face him, looking instead at the skyline of the city. “Chat,” she said when he stopped behind her, “I… I want… Is it bad that I still want you?” 

He approached her with slow steps. “Want me?” He tilted his head, trying to get a glimpse of her face. “What do you mean?” 

Without warning, he was being dragged down by a hand around the back of his neck and he was surrounded by her sweet scent as she kissed him. His eyes flew open for a second in surprise before he relaxed into it and let them close. As she brought her free hand up to rest on his shoulder, he let his arm loop around her waist and pulled her closer. 

She broke away quickly, instead tracing a line of kisses along his jaw and he could do little else but tilt his head to give her better access. When she got to his ear, her breath tickled his ear as she whispered, “When I say I want you, I mean…” She leaned down, almost pressing her face into the crook of his neck, then a warm wetness made its way up to his jawline again and he groaned. “I  _ want _ you.” She leaned back again, letting him see her face, her eyes sparkling with mischievousness and lust and something else… 

Chat took a deep breath. “Ladybug, are… Are you sure?” 

“Do I look like someone who’s not sure?” And she stepped closer to him again, slowly pressing her hips up against his. 

A low noise sounded from the back of his throat. “You… You don’t, but just… Take a second.” 

He watched as she took a visible breath, then she offered him another smile. “I’m sure. I… I’ve  _ been _ sure.” 

“Alright,” he breathed, “should we head back to mine, then?” 

 

It was slow and awkward, but sweet. There wasn’t any particular moment where they fell into a perfect rhythm, but they smiled and, at times, laughed their way through it. 

The whole thing was over far too soon. Adrien couldn’t find it in himself to be bothered, though, as Marinette was curled up against his chest, her soft breaths tickling his skin while he traced her spine with his fingertips. 

“Adrien?” One of her fingertips was moving across his skin, trailing random patterns. “Do you only want to stay with me because I’m Ladybug?” 

Adrien’s forehead creased between his eyebrows. “Why would you think that? Before we started dating, you were one of my best friends. You know that, right?” 

“Well, yeah, it’s just… You got so distant when it first started, and then you opened up so much more when I was Ladybug, and… Well, just now, you… You called me Ladybug, not Marinette.” 

Adrien blinked, trying to remember the specifics of that moment of ecstacy just a few minutes previously. It was very likely that her alias had indeed slipped out, but all he could remember was how amazing she’d felt when she — 

“I mean, I guess…” Her voice started soft, but built in intensity as she continued. “What I want to know is why you were so hung up on me when we spent so little time together as Ladybug and Chat Noir — when you made your feelings clear to me and I would just reject them, over and over. Why did you keep coming back? Why did you keep holding onto me? Why couldn’t you just let me go? I mean —” And here, Adrien heard the shakiness in her breath, “I mean, why didn’t you see any of what I portray as Ladybug in Marinette? 

“I might not be saving cities outside of the mask, but it takes a  _ very _ special kind of courage to keep a cool head when you’re having to defend your dress to some of Europe’s top designers — no, stop, I  _ don’t _ need a hug! What I  _ need _ is to know what part about me wasn’t  _ good _ enough for you?” 

She sat up so she could look at him, clutching the sheets to her chest like a lifeline. Adrien followed her up, supporting himself on an arm and meeting her gaze. 

“Why?” There were tears in her eyes, just on the verge of falling — and then she blinked, and they spilled over, not slowing as she continued talking. “Why wasn’t I  _ enough, _ Adrien?” 

And then she broke down, bringing her hands up to cradle her face as quiet sobs forced their way out of her throat. When she wobbled as if she was about to tip to the side, he caught her in his arms and guided her to his shoulder while he leaned against the headboard. 

He did his best to soothe her by resuming stroking her back through the blankets, but having been on her side of a breakdown plenty of times himself, he knew the best thing for her was to let her cry as much as she needed to release the emotions. 

When the tears did eventually quiet, he spoke in a soft voice. “Marinette, my Marinette, are you listening? Yes? Okay. Do you want to know why I was so in love with Ladybug? It’s because… Well, I’ve told you a bit about my childhood. There were several times when I felt like that’s all my life would ever be like. Every time I would think about trying to stand up for myself, I was just… Put back into my place. Usually harshly. It made me not even want to try anymore. 

“And then, you… You stood up and you faced Hawk Moth, and it gave me hope. I knew that whoever you were, you had gotten the Miraculous at the same time that I did, and even though you were scared and didn’t know if there would be any point in continuing, you did it anyway. You stood up to him, and now, with every passing akuma, you remind me that there’s something worth fighting for. 

“You were almost larger than life, someone who I felt had the capability of knowing me — all of me, even the broken parts or the parts that get too overwhelming — I guess I felt like you wouldn’t be scared off by all of that. 

“As for what I saw of Marinette… It was more of a progression to the same effect. You stood up to Chloé, grew more comfortable in your own skin, and of course I saw the way you would go out of your way to help our classmates if they had a problem. 

“I don’t know how much you’ve noticed, but I really don’t have a ton of people I’m close to. I liked you, Marinette, I really did. I asked you out because I figured that if there was anyone besides Ladybug who could take me on, it was you. I wanted it to be you. But… It was so much different in reality than how I saw it in my head. When I had you, I froze up and couldn’t open myself emotionally to you. And — it wasn’t anything you’d done, you were just as incredible as ever. It was me, telling myself that I shouldn’t put any of that on you… That if I did anything, even something positive, all the negative would catch up eventually and overwhelm it. 

“I know it’s stupid and irrational, but even though I know what kind of person you are, I just kept telling myself that you would treat me differently. Anxiety’s a bitch, you know? And… And when we started going to parties, and I saw how naturally you fit in… You deserved someone better than me. Still do. That’s… That’s all I could think: I didn’t deserve to be happy with you. 

“Ladybug? I knew what to expect from her by then. She was a dream, one that was somehow realized. I guess I didn’t really have a realistic idea in my mind for what I thought a relationship with her would be, and that was okay because it was never anything that was going to happen. I wasn’t afraid of rejection because I knew it would come. I was allowed to have all of these fantasies because I knew they never stood a chance. 

“But you? You were real: a possibility, something unexpected. You were someone who could have loved me but you were also someone who could have thrown my fears back in my face and walked away. I had you, which meant that I could lose you. And that terrifies me.” 

 

The following silence pressed around him, the kind where one became acutely aware of every insignificant sound, where one could almost make out the conversations of passers-by on the sidewalk below the window. 

Adrien, for one, could not quite say where he had found all of those words. Surely, less would have sufficed in terms of comforting her. And he hadn’t been scared at all to reveal these feelings to her. It must have been some by-product of intimacy, or maybe it was that he was getting more comfortable with her, especially after she’d shown such a large display of emotion, or maybe it was simply that he felt safe while she was lying against him. 

 

“You know, when I first said I’d be your girlfriend, I had this whole idea of what dating Adrien Agreste would be like, all built up inside my head. When it didn’t meet my expectations, I just… I thought to myself, ‘Well, I guess this is just how it is.’ I thought those stereotypes were true. So I fell on them, too, instead of giving you a chance to explain how you were feeling. I’m sorry.”

He didn’t quite know if that was a dream or not. Everything felt like one at that hour.

 

The next morning, Adrien woke up before Marinette did. After throwing on a shirt and shorts, he made his way into the kitchen and started making coffee. Marinette joined him only a few minutes later, her sleep-tousled hair matching the adorable expression of tiredness on her face. 

He poured some cream into her coffee, the way she liked it, and brought the mug over to her. “Good morning, beautiful,” he smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. 

“You, too,” she replied as she brought the mug to her lips to take a sip. “Oh, this is  _ divine.” _

“What would you like for breakfast? I’ve got… Let’s see… Toast, eggs, cereal — but only this weird protein kind, I don’t know if you’d like it — uh… There’s fruit, too —” 

“Are eggs and toast oaky?” Marinette asked. “I don’t want you to go to any trouble…” 

“Eggs and toast are fine, Mari,” he said with a smile. “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I didn’t want to do it. What time is your first class?” 

“Eleven-ten.” 

“Great! Mine, too.” 

They continued the small talk while Adrien prepared the food, then ate in comfortable silence. She took his plate when they were done before he could say anything. 

When she came back from the kitchen, she had her hands clasped in front of her with a hint of nervousness. “So, about last night…” 

The words came with an air of seriousness, one that chilled the warmth of domesticity Adrien had been enjoying. 

He was about to ask what she meant, but before he could, she continued, “I have two things I wanted to say to you about it. First of all, I’m sorry if you feel like I pushed you into anything — no, wait a second, I’m not done. I know you agreed to it and that you wanted it too, but I think we both know that I was… Rushing into things there.

“Uhm… While I’m trying to be honest and more open with my communication? I was feeling pretty insecure and I thought that — that if I slept with you, I would know that you wanted  _ me. _ No, no, really — it’s fine. I — even though it was for the wrong reasons, I don’t regret it. I promise. 

“And that brings me to the other thing I wanted to say: thank you, so much. What you said last night… It was exactly what I needed to hear. I… I know that trying to have sex for validation isn’t something that works, but… You have to understand, I don’t always listen to the rational part of my brain, and I act pretty impulsively. Especially when I know that thinking too much will dissuade me. Which is… Probably also why I started crying. Dealing with that is another thing I wanted to say thank you for. And what you said afterwards… It definitely saved the whole night from making me retreat into myself again. 

“And, Adrien,” she said, reaching across the table to grab one of his hands, “I know saying this isn’t some kind of miracle worker that will help you open up to me, but you absolutely can tell me anything you need to. It doesn’t have to be all at once. It might be better slowly working up to the big things for you, so that I can show you how much I really do want to be here for you.”

She offered him a smile, then, and it struck him that it was one of the first genuine smiles he’d seen on her in a long time. Then and there, he promised to himself that he’d make her smile like that more often. 

For now, though, she was still waiting for a response from him. “That sounds like something I could do,” he said. He flipped his hand over so he could intertwine their fingers. “But there’s something else we need to talk about, too: Chloé.” 

The disgust in Marinette’s expression was immediately evident. “Chloé? What does she… Oh.” Her features softened with realization. “She told me she knew you were.... involved with someone else, but she didn’t say how she knew that. What does she know?”

“She… She saw me detransform once after an akuma attack. She doesn’t know about you, only that Ladybug… also has a significant other outside of the mask.” 

“Oh. Do you think she’ll cause any problems?”

Adrien shrugged. “She might. Not with my identity, but, well, she  _ did _ seem pretty mad about the whole thing. She told you about her own experiences with — yeah, okay, then you know. She probably won’t say anything direct, but our friendship is so publicized as it is. If she starts acting...  _ off, _ the media is sure to pick up on it, and then the speculation… It’s bound to get out of hand.” 

Marinette nodded, a pensive expression forming. “Do you think… I’m trusting you when you say she’ll be tight-lipped about the identity thing. And, being Queen Bee, I’d hope she realizes that even though it was one of her first mistakes, our identities are something bigger than her issues with us. So, do you think if I tell her who I am, that would resolve anything?”

“It… It might. She’d keep your identity a secret, absolutely. She’d never do anything to hurt Ladybug. And knowing that we’re not actually involved with other people would definitely help her cool down. I just want to make sure — are you absolutely okay with revealing yourself to her? We could make something else work.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and there was reassurance when she squeezed his hand back. “I’m sure. I trust you.”

 

Telling Chloé went about as well as expected. She was already at the cafe when Adrien and Marinette arrived, and her eyes narrowed when she saw them holding hands. It was only fair — after all, Chloé was bound to have seen pictures of Ladybug and Chat Noir kissing only a few days before. 

Adrien and Marinette ordered their drinks, sat down, and quickly realized that Chloé’s icy attitude wouldn’t be broken with small talk. Things progressed quickly from there. They calmly explained that there wasn’t a need to worry about infidelity. Marinette told Chloé who she was. Chloé sat in stunned silence for approximately ten seconds before standing up and leaving.

Marinette turned to Adrien with a concerned expression. “Will she be okay?”

“Yeah. She just need some time to process it.”

 

Chloé’s parting words rang in Adrien’s ears for the rest of the day:

“I hope you two make each other happy.”

 

They did, though. The following weeks showed slow but definite improvement in communication and being more open with each other. As the time passed, Adrien saw Marinette and Ladybug in her, no matter if she was in the suit or out of it. 

And every day, he found himself a little bit more in love with her.

 

It wasn’t a conscious decision to not attend events for that period of time, but they knew they needed to spend more time just being with each other, working on their relationship away from the pressures of the media and their peers. As it was, it took approximately six weeks until they attended another party. After the first horribly awkward one they’d gone to after the reveal, of course.

There was an underlying excitement, a thrill at being able to show off their relationship: one that should have been present during their very first outing, perhaps, but Adrien didn’t let thoughts like that taint their night. 

He was by her side through the whole thing. Instead of feeling like she was slipping away from him while she got involved in conversation about the technical aspects of design, there was the warmth of a glowing pride building inside him. He didn’t understand everything that was being said, but the shine in her eyes and the way she would talk with her hands when she was excited… 

He was surprised at how much time had gone by when she turned to him and asked if they should dance. He had the biggest smile on his face as he led her to the dance floor, and when he turned to take her other hand, he could have sworn his own giddiness was reflected in her expression. And this, too — he could feel the change. It wasn’t just him leading her through the motions of a dance, it was them being  _ together, _ letting their emotion seep its way into their movements.

And no, it had never felt like this before, but he couldn’t find it in himself to regret that it hadn’t; there was only the overwhelming joy that it finally did. As the music crescendoed, she spun out, and the tension running through their arms and keeping them connected was only slightly more tangible than the intensity between them. Though the music slowed and eventually stopped, the heat he felt did not, and as he bowed in closing he took her hand. His eyes were burning into hers, and he slowly — reverently — brought her hand to his lips and placed the softest of kisses against her knuckles. He straightened up, but didn’t let go of her hand as they walked away from the dance floor.

“Marinette… Please, can I kiss you?”

Her nod and her whispered, “Yes,” were the only things between them as he leaned forward, wrapping one arm around her waist and letting his other hand cradle the back of her neck, and he kissed her. Of course, they had to keep it appropriate for polite company, but the intensity was still there in the slow movement of their lips, in the way his fingers curled against the material of her dress… 

They separated a moment before hearing a noise of barely concealed frustration not too far away from them. Turning, they saw a photographer who had brought his camera up at just the wrong moment.

“Oh, Marinette,” Adrien said, a laugh just on the edge of his voice. “What do you think? Another one for the cameras?”

“Hmm… I don’t know.” she replied, just loud enough for the photographer to hear. “If Alya’s taught me anything, it’s that a good reporter should  _ always _ be prepared. ...Though I guess I can make an exception this one time. I  _ do _ like kissing you, after all.” She raised herself up on her toes so she could lean in to meet him, but Adrien had other plans. He moved the hand on her neck to support her shoulders, then pulled her down into a dip. She gasped and clutched his shoulders, then relaxed and giggled when he winked at her.

He leaned down to kiss her again, soft and sweet. Half a second before the camera went off, he felt her hand caress his cheek.

 

At some point soon after that, he couldn’t say when (as that would have meant paying attention to mundane things like  _ time _ when  _ Marinette _ was right there), he asked her if she was ready to leave. She agreed, and before they knew it, he was helping her into the back of the limo and she was dragging him in after her. 

The partition was already raised, which he was grateful for as he immediately found himself with a lapful of eager girlfriend. She had a hand on his chin, tilting his head upwards as she kissed him. It wasn’t long before she ran her tongue along the seam of his lips and he parted them readily for her. 

His hands clutched at her waist like she was the only thing keeping him grounded — and maybe she was, which seemed ironic because it was the way her tongue was exploring his mouth, the way her teeth nipped and tugged at his lips, the way her hips shifted across his thighs: she was the one bringing him to unimaginable heights in the first place.

“You’re being such a gentleman,” she whispered somewhere in-between breaking away from the kiss and nibbling his earlobe. “It’s cute, but you can drop the act.” 

He was confused until she grabbed one of his wrists and moved it down, past her generous hips, to where she let it rest on the curve of her ass. He groaned, curling his fingers into the softness he could almost  _ feel _ beneath the fabric, and then he let his other hand join his first. 

He pulled her closer to him, letting her feel just how much he wanted her, and was pleased when she gasped and shifted her hips down in reply. “Fuck, Mari,” he gasped. 

She cupped both sides of his face with her hands to hold him still as she kissed him again. Slowly, aware of her movements in case anything expressed discomfort, he let his hands dravel down her thighs until it was skin instead of fabric he felt beneath his fingertips. He lingered for a moment there, feeling the softness of her thighs and enjoying the way she fidgeted from the ticklishness of it before he started moving upwards again.

His hands slipped under the hem of her dress and he felt her mouth slow its movements against his as he went higher.

“A—Adrien,” she whispered.

“Yeah?” he replied as his hands finally splayed across her ass again and he  _ squeezed, _ making her gasp. 

“Please…” 

The simple request was enough to make him want to do anything for her, but the familiar motion of the limo stopping brought him back to reality. “Looks like we’re here,” he said. “Do you want to try this again?” 

Her smile was all he needed.

 


End file.
